Judge issues fine, suspension in leaked document case

New York, July 27, 2010—An Ivorian judge on Monday ordered
the release of three journalists who had been jailed for a story citing a
leaked official document, but he imposed a fine and suspension on their
newspaper, according to local journalists and news
reports.

Managing Editor Stéphane
Guédé, News Editor Théophile
Kouamouo, and Editor-in-Chief Saint-Claver Oula of the dailyLe Nouveau Courrier were released today from the Arrests and Corrections House (MACA) in Abidjan after 13 days in
state custody,
according to local journalists. In a July 13 story, the paper cited
the contents of a prosecutor’s confidential investigative report detailing corruption
in Ivory Coast’s cocoa export industry.

On Monday, a magistrate
acquitted the three journalists on two
of three counts, the penal code offenses of theft and disclosure of
administrative documents, defense lawyer Désiré
Gueu told CPJ. He said the three were found guilty of disclosing confidential judicial
information, an offense under the 2004 press law.

The
judge fined the paper 5 million CFA francs (US$9,800) and ordered it not to
publish for 15 days, the lawyer said. No decision has been made on whether
to appeal, Gueu
said.

“We are relieved
that our colleagues have at last been released but note that they should never
have been detained in the first place,” said Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita.
“We are also disturbed by the fine and suspension imposed on their newspaper
for citing prosecution documents. We urge the government to reform that section
of the press law which makes such publication an offense. We fear its existence
and this ruling will have a chilling effect on investigative journalism in the
country.”